MOUNTAIN PINE -- Jody Frazier, former longtime football coach of the Mountain Pine Red Devils, died Monday at age 50. Cause of death was not immediately known.
Frazier, coaching at Mountain Pine from 1998-2014, had a 65-99 record in 17 seasons. The height of his term saw the Red Devils make five consecutive playoff appearances from 2006-10, going 24-9 with a pair of conference championships from 2007-09. The Red Devils defeated Palestine-Wheatley 41-14 in the first round of the 2009 playoffs, Mountain Pine's first postseason victory since 1985.
After winning twice late in the 2011 season, Mountain Pine lost 30 consecutive games in Frazier's last three years. He was 63-61 his first 13 seasons at his alma mater (1983 graduate), which won state championships in 1978 under Stanley May and 1979 under Lonnie Sutton.
With numbers dwindling to less than 20 each year late in his tenure, Frazier was reassigned to coaching track and field and cross country for the recently completed school year. He retained his position as a math teacher, garnering praise from his former students.
"I'm happy to have had the opportunity to coach at Mountain Pine. It's my home. I coached a lot of great young people here," said Frazier shortly after his reassignment.
An Arkansas Tech graduate, Frazier returned to Mountain Pine after coaching at Sparkman.
David Jordan was Mountain Pine's football coach last season, the Red Devils' losing streak reaching 33 before a 42-24 victory over rival Cutter Morning Star. Mountain Pine finished 1-9, losing its last six games, and Jordan resigned soon afterward to work at Oaklawn Park.
The Mountain Pine school board recently hired Little Rock Hall assistant John Counce to replace Jordan in football. Counce, who was the softball coach at Hall, will also handle Frazier's track duties.
Frazier's visitation is from 5-8 p.m. Thursday at Caruth-Hale Funeral Home in Hot Springs. Caruth-Hale will also hold the funeral at 2 p.m. Friday.
Sports on 06/15/2016